


Terminus A Quo

by MariekoWest



Category: Parasite Eve
Genre: Based on the game's events, F/M, Interpretative FanFiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2001-07-10
Updated: 2002-12-04
Packaged: 2018-06-03 08:51:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6604540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MariekoWest/pseuds/MariekoWest
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A closer inspection at Aya Brea & Kyle Madigan's interactions in PE2. An interpretative reenactment of those exciting & romantic encounters. SPOILER ALERT FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T BEATEN THE GAME! KylexAya (This is an old work originally first published in my FFnet account & reposted here without revisions.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Water Tower

"Well, what've we got here..."

Kyle Madigan leaned over the water tower's railing and craned his neck to get a better view of the spectacle below. He had been carefully monitoring a pack of hungry Chasers by the tower's fence, when suddenly a girl had appeared out of nowhere. It was like seeing an apparition...

In a few short days, Dryfield proper has lapsed into something worst than a ghost town... A ghost town infested with " _Artificial Neo Mitochondrion Creatures_ ", otherwise known as "A.N.M.C."s. Owing to that, all of the locale's previous inhabitants were either now miles away from it, _or dead_. Only two of the residents were unfortunate enough to be alive under the circumstances: the eccentric old gun collector Gary Douglas and his pet dog...

Kyle frowned broodingly. Not that he was one to talk about eccentricity, but his reasons for being there were strictly business, as it has always been... So now, he was temporarily distracted from his "business" by the girl down below. _What is she doing out here?_ And _more importantly, how could she still be alive?_

Initially he surmised that the girl was one of those shape-shifting A.N.M.C.s called _Strangers_ , notorious for their ability to mimic human form, however as soon as he saw her draw out a weapon, Kyle Madigan knew that he was mistaken.

After a few minutes, wherein the girl impressively outmaneuvered all eight A.N.M.C. _Chasers_ with her M93R handgun, Kyle Madigan smirked to himself, his curiosity greatly roused. So far, he already knew three things about this woman: _that she was no ANMC,_ nor an ordinary civilian... But definitely someone who would be more convenient as an ally, than a foe. With a grimace, he lowered the ladder for her. And when she had climbed up to where he was, Kyle began making her acquaintance...

"My apologies." Kyle began as he turned to face her. "I would have helped, but I was afraid I might hit you. Name's Madigan. Kyle Madigan. And you are—?"

"Aya Brea. FBI." She replied curtly, ignoring his outstretched hand.

Kyle Madigan withdrew his hand slowly. "Well, well..." He said, a twinkle in his keen auburn eyes. The name was very familiar to him, of course... _Aya Brea..._ the rookie police officer who saved New York, probably even the world, three years ago in the controversial Manhattan incident. That explains why she was so adept at dealing with A.N.M.C.s... Only— this girl didn't look like the Aya Brea he saw in newspaper clippings and photos attached to her top-secret government dossier. She somehow looked— _different..._

"Is that a problem?" Aya spat coolly, assuming a self-composed stance that greatly emphasized her shapely hips.

In the next few moments, an unyielding silence followed. Aya's body tensed involuntarily when their eyes met in a concerted gaze. The man known as Kyle Madigan didn't seem to be fazed by her indifference at all. In fact she was beginning to get the impression that he was even fascinated by the little mockery. Those pensive eyes of his, continued to address her with seemingly unspoken amusement. It was very— _unsettling..._

Aya struggled within herself to maintain composure, a task which wasn't usually this difficult. She didn't know why, but she felt utterly disarmed by this man's striking appearance, from the very moment her consciousness had been able to assess him.

Kyle Madigan was tall, lean and vigorous, with a flawless natural tan of unmistakable Latin-American innuendo, an overly assertive posture (most likely a result of military training) that accentuated his broad shoulders and drew attention to his massive chest in spite of the aloof ebony-colored turtleneck sweater; he looked surprisingly young, with slightly tousled dark-brown hair, and keen, effervescent brown eyes. Yes... Aya thought exasperatedly as blood flooded her cheeks. He was very, very... _disarming._

Relieved that her blushing was not that evident because her face was already flushed from the rigorous exercise she had undergone earlier, Aya hastily reminded herself that she still had reservations about him, and tried to ignore the tiny tingling sensations that were ruthlessly writhing her insides.

Kyle broke the silence first, "That puma-like creature just now— it had a human face... Was that one of those N.M.C.s?"

Aya nodded, "Yes, an unusual breed but— " She stopped in mid-sentence, finding herself at a loss for an explanation.

"So you're one of those MIST Hunters, right?" Kyle interjected with a grin that was almost indiscernible, if his eyes didn't give him away.

"You've done your homework." Aya quipped, narrowing her eyelashes at him. "May I ask who you might be?"

"Me?" Kyle raised his eyebrows, momentarily disoriented by the coquettish sarcasm in her riposte. "I'm a private investigator out of L.A.," he stated half-truthfully. "I came to check out a shelter supposed to be in these parts. I ran into some of those monsters on my way out here. They totaled my car and I walked the rest of the way to town."

"A private investigator?!" Aya repeated incredulously, careful that she didn't gape down at his rugged, tight-fitting jeans for too long. "In that outfit?"

"Well," Kyle tried to sound very casual. "You never know these days..."

"Really..." Aya enunciated slowly, with more coquettish sarcasm. She seized her hip and prompted further, "So what's supposed to be in this shelter?"

"That's client-confidential. I'd loose my license." Then Kyle added, "Not that I know anything yet, I just got here."

Aya mulishly mirrored his gaze for the most part of their conversation, trying to figure out what was it about him that seemed trustworthy and yet disconcerting at the same time. Aya winced inwardly from the effort. So far, all she felt certain of was that he knew much more than what he was letting up. His impenetrable expression conveyed nothing more about him or his thoughts ...

"Say..." Kyle's eyes glinted, as though it was he who could read her mind. "Since we seem to be looking for the same thing, how's about we join forces?"

This time Aya didn't hesitate. It might be the best idea to play along for now, she reasoned, taking his outstretched hand. "I'm game."

He grasped her hand firmly for a few seconds without breaking eye contact, then he released her and said, "Let me know if you find anything out..."

With those words, Kyle Madigan left, and for first time since she had been sent to Dryfield, Aya Brea couldn't explain why she suddenly felt more enthusiastic about this assignment...

**end of the water tower scene.**


	2. The Bottom Of The Well

_Stop it!_ Aya Brea chided herself.

Whether she liked it or not, she kept thinking about him. Ever since she met the private investigator Kyle Madigan, it was very hard for her to push the mental images out of her mind. Even now, as she gingerly descended the well in Dryfield, to investigate the spine-chilling screams coming from the abandoned house on the other side of the trailer coach, her thoughts were of him still, that she absent-mindedly slipped down the rope too fast.

"Ugh." Aya grunted in disgust. With a sickening "slosh" she had landed in knee-deep murky water that -judging by the feel & _smell_ of it- w _as bobbing with filth_. Instantly her nostrils were assailed by the damp, musty stench that hung heavily in the dark unventilated tunnel. It made her lungs contract painfully and her entrails lurch violently up her throat. She steadied herself for a few seconds, concentrating hard to keep her lunch in. Then, trying to take in as little of the muskiness as her lungs would permit, she raised her M4A1 Rifle and inched forward cautiously.

Disoriented by the darkness in the sewer, Aya really didn't know which direction to take yet, but her decision was made for her when she tested an iron gate to her right & found it locked. Turning to the opposite direction she quickened her pace, hoping to find the exit soon. The result of her haste, was loud swishing noises magnified by the closed quarters. _This job is getting more unglamorous by the minute..._ Aya winced as her legs chopped up the dirty stagnant depths and stirred up rippling currents with her legs. She moaned at the uncomfortable feeling of wading in the pool of sewer water which was filled with _who-knows-what_ , she didn't want to imagine the little horrors that were brushing against the bare skin above her boots... The combined sensations and echoing noises were almost unnerving.

Apparently, the well's dwellers didn't feel any more pleased about the untimely house call any more than Aya did. A flock of angry bats shrieked towards their unwelcome guest, the darkness an advantage to them, as opposed to Aya. Her vision pulsated for a split second, illuminating the creatures in bright shades of gray. Her heartbeat thumped in her ears. Since she couldn't very well use her rifle accurately in the pitch-blackness, and since the odds were against her, Aya quickly made short work of them with an _inferno_ blast. When the flames of the last burning bats died away, she waited while her BP counter flashed a series of digits, then proceeded deeper into the tunnel.

Relieved that the tunnel floor soon elevated, and a light switch made her path easier to trek. She was more than happy to leave the sewer water behind, when she was greeted by yet another addition to her guidebook of new & unfamiliar breeds of _Artificial Neo Mitochondrion Creatures._ The stealthy-four-legged spider-like A.N.M.C. called a _Stalker_ , was a cunning opponent. She was taken by surprise by it's ability to camouflage itself in its' environment, but when the battle was over it was made worth it by the generous bounty points on her BP counter. She made a mental note to keep an eye out for those tricky ones...

Eventually she found herself at the end of the tunnel and torn between ridding herself of the nasal torment; or satiating her hunger for adventure. Aya eventually gave in to her curiosity and allowed herself some last minute exploring. After flipping the lights on, she spotted a heavy wooden door, which easily creaked opened with a single push. Beyond it was a spacious but dingy cellar. After doing her routinely pest exterminating, she examined the room, only then did adrenaline begin to dissipate and her pulse began to settle.

Judging by the wine barrels and scattered game pieces on the wide table, she presumed it was a game room. The room sure had the atmosphere for it. She then continued to examine a humble collection of old & unusable guns behind a rack with severed glass, and a moldy wooden shelf with a box of trading cards.

The trading cards, immediately brought to mind her former co-worker Wayne and her present co-MIST agent, Pierce. "Pierce was bragging about winning some tournament with cards like this..." Aya commented to herself. "Why are grown men so excited about collecting things?" As she said this, she mulled for an answer but coming up with nothing that made sense then added with a sigh. "Boys will be boys..." She flipped through the stack of dusty trading cards in her hand, without really paying any attention to the cards itself or why she bothered looking at them. She was once again lost in deep thought, briefly mesmerized by the weathered cards... Maybe she REALLY wanted to know why most guys found trading cards so interesting... or maybe she just wondered about one particular guy... " _I wonder if that P.I. Madigan collects anything..."_ Aya murmured aloud. The impact of her words took a while to reach her consciousness. She jolted herself out of the silly reverie. Her heart which seemed to have stopped beating and the familiar tingling sensation in her stomach brought torment with the recognition of her inevitable fancy. Resisting the urge to smile, she defended herself quickly with sarcastic soliloquy, "Actually," Aya said dryly, hastily replacing the cards, shoving the box back into the shelf and dusting her palms. "I don't want to know."

**end of the at the bottom of the well scene.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really enjoyed writing this, mainly because I got to share my ideas about the game and the reasons I think Kyle x Aya are perfect! However, even if this is strictly my interpretation, I tried to be as accurate to the given details as possible... still, I'm not saying this is exactly how it happened, just how I think it did. -Marie


End file.
